Separation devices come in many forms and are used in many ways. Mechanical separation devices, which are sometimes referred to as “filters,” are commonly used to remove particles from fluids. Separation lines, on the other hand, are typically in the form of long, expensive tubes that are used to separate compounds into their individual components. When a fluid compound is driven through a separation line, the compound will separate into its individual components prior to reaching the end of the line due to differences in the molecular weights of the components. One common use of separation lines is spectroscopy, such as gas chromatography mass spectroscopy (“GCMS”), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (“FTIR”) and ultraviolet/visible spectroscopy (“UV VIS”).
The inventor herein has determined that conventional separation devices are susceptible to improvement. For example, the inventor herein has determined that it would be desirable to provide mechanical separation devices that are well suited for the removal of small particles from small fluid volumes and are also relatively inexpensive to manufacture. The inventor herein has also determined that it would be desirable to provide separation line apparatus that pack long separation lines into relatively small volumes and are also relatively inexpensive to manufacture.